Why I Love My Babies!!!!

As I have watched my babies grow and change I always think to myself, I really need to write down what makes me cherish this first year so much so here it is. Hopefully it isn't too personal, if anything this post is for me in the future when that sad day comes when my kids are no longer babies.

Why I love my babies . . .

* The way they play with their feet, and eventually have to stick them in their mouth like everything else.

*Their sweet breath, especially nursing babies.
*The sound of them gulping as they are eating.
*When they grab onto your shirt when they are falling asleep.
*Their sweet little newborn feet, all wrinkled up and soft. Ahhh!!!

*Getting them to sleep and cuddling with them. I love trying to stay awake with a sleeping baby on me, it is next to impossible.

*Baby dreams- when they smile in their sleep, probably because of angels well I think so.

*Milk dribbles down their little or not so little chin, have yet to capture that one on film. So sweet!

*The way they loose their hair, and get that bald spot on the back of their head as they get bigger. Just like when we get old. Hmm vicious cycle I would say.

*Their laughs and squeals

*Their loud pooping noises, yeah I know that is weird but it's okay for babies right?

*Their panting when they are waiting to eat, and wanting it right then.
*The way they hold onto your finger with a death grip and never want to let go.

*Watching them grow, learn, and discover something new about life.
*The way they go cross eyed especially as newborns trying to focus on the world around them.

*Having them stiffen their body when they are so excited about something. A noise, toy, person, whatever.

*The way they cry "un-gee" when they want to eat. Well my babies do this I am not sure if all do.
*The way they suck their fingers and drool.

*What more can I say except that they are hard to care fore but they sure do make it worthwhile. I love my babies each and everyone.

4th of July

I love holidays because it gives me an excuse to go to a party with my family or friends. For this July 4th we went to my parents house for a huge Baker Family 4th of July Celebration. We had a lot of fun eating dinner together, swimming busting open a pinata, and just plain old visiting. My kids really enjoyed the swimming part the best. I love this picture of Bryant, he looks so comfortable in the water when in reality he just always stays on the steps and plays. Hopefully he will get over his water fear soon, and be brave enough to swim away from the step. He did great at swimming lessons this year, and after one more year I think we will have another fish on our hands.

Alyssa really has turned into a fish this summer. She went from screaming everyday at swimming lessons to not wanting to sit in her tube at all. We recently tried putting floaties on her and she really liked to independence it brought in the water. Next summer we might have three fish, uh oh!

Aunt Paula was kind enough to take care of Kaelyn while the rest of our family was in the water. To Kaelyn's disappointment I had forgotten a swim diaper for her. She was really jealous of all of us in the water, especially since she had started to learn how to splash and get all excited while swimming. Whoever holds her in the water will no longer have a dry head at the end of swim time. Maybe next year we will be able to get Paula and Evan in the water. Come on guys it's just family. We love you no matter what, just kidding what ever you want is fine.

After swimming we had hamburgers and a ton of yummy sides. Emily and I made sugar cookies, a ton which I ended up eating a lot of the leftovers. So glad I didn't take pictures of them, cause then I would want one right now. After our delicious meal and a lot of fun visiting the kids had the chance to break open a pinata. After each kid got the chance I mentioned that I wanted a turn, and ended up breaking it. Of course I did have a bit of an advantage being a full grown adult and all but it was still fun.


Sara, along with all of our other kids candy eating age and older enjoyed ever piece of their candy. Of course, why would candy ever go to waste with five kids and two adults in the house. Our fourth cutie, Sara always enjoys sweets the most. I think she ate every piece out of her bag by the next day. My theory is always get it gone so they can't have anymore, as long as they haven't collected too much.

Overall it was a memorable 4th. We even got to watch a few fireworks in the backyard that were being shot off in Chandler. I love America and am so glad that we were able to celebrate with so many of our family members.

Our June Mystery Dinner!

Each year my friend Mandi Tollison and I plan a murder mystery dinner. We have planned several different themes including a Luau, Chinese, Chicago Gangster, Old English, High School, and a Paris France Train Murder. This year for our 7th year we decided to plan a Hollywood Themed murder, with screen writers, directors, actors, and actresses. My brother in law Evan would have been perfect for one of the parts especialy the screen writer but Paula and him had already come to our Luau and High School dinners. We decided to invite a few new people instead.


Mandi and I always plan on having so much food. We have a different course between each round of the game. We usually start one round, and then have an appetizer. This year we had cheese fondue, it was yummy. Then we play another round and have the main course, by this time everyone really is getting into the game, and being their characters. We also are already trying to speculate who the murderer is. This year we had chicken cordon bleu, strawberry salad, and twice baked potatoes. Then we finish the game and have dessert. We had a ton of yummy desserts this year, everything from cheesecake bites, to eclairs, chocolate dipped strawberries and cream puffs. Wow, now I am hungry! Below I posted our guests and their real names as well as their character names.

Wendi (Ivonde Be Ahlone) Doug (Seldon U. Loyde)

Jason (Hackford Ryder) Mandi (Denise N. Dayer)

Craig (Savoy R. Faye) Daisy (Heidi Voltaje)

Ambre (Tatyana Eltale) Ryan (Stuart Dyron)

We all had a lot of fun, visiting and playing the game, the night was a success and we will definately be planning another murder mystery for next year. Yes, and I will not tell you who the murderer was in case you want to borrow the game and play too!

Remembering May

May Update

I feel like I should go backwards a little bit and talk about what happened in our home in the month of May, if anything just for posterity. It was the last month of school, and so the craziness began at the beginning of the month with class programs, and parties. Emma gave her animal report where Emily went instead of mom because she was more exciting. She chose the animal of Tiger Shark, and found out some really great information on it that a lot of us did not know about. According to Emily she did a great job, unfortunately we don't have any pictures from this event.

Also in the month of May we had Emma's Piano Recital. It is so wonderful that my mom is teaching Emma piano, we will always be greatful for that, considering how much piano lessons cost and all. I tried teaching her myself but it was just too hard with the whole mom daughter relationship thing. Emma played the song "I'm Late" from Alice and Wonderland. She did awesome, and luckily she is blessed with her dad's talent of memorization and had no trouble memorizing the entire piece in no time.

In May our garden began producing a lot of different things, we were lucky enough to get some tomatoes before the plants got some kind of disease, zucchinni, and summer squash, eggplant, okra, peppers, jalepeno peppers, carrots which the kids loved, and beautiful sunflowers. All of our neighbors loved driving into the neighborhood and seeing the sunflowers over the fence because they were so tall. We only have a photo of the sunflowers after they wilted and started producing seeds which a few parakeets enjoyed. If was kind of weird to see tame birds out in the wild.

Unfortunately we did have something really sad happen in May, on our anniversary we got the news that Doug's Grandma Nina passed away, she had been battling breast cancer. She was such a positive, loving and caring women, we were upset, but knew that she went to a better place with no pain, and is with Grandpa Ernie now. We were able to attend the funeral in Mesa and then drive up to Lakeside for the burial services. We stayed with my sister Karen for a night in Eagar before driving to Lakeside Cemetary. Below is the first pictures we have of our family of seven. Wow what a big number, but we love it!

Some of the few things that I will always remember about grandma Nina are how she always called the little kids Dolly, how uplifting and happy she was no matter how bad things were, and her service and love for all of us. We will really miss her. Whenever any of the grandkids would come and visit she would have them go and get a cookie out of the bread box in the kitchen. So at the funeral they put cookies in her bread box out in the foyer. Bryant loved that, and kept wanting to go get more cookies from the bread box.

While we were in Lakeside most of the cousins, and aunts and uncles were there. Emma just loves spending time with all of them and is sad to part when it is time to go. Here is a picture of her with her cousins Tara and Lori.

After the burial service Karen and Rand drove to Lakeside and we went to the McDonalds in Showlow. The kids had a great time burning off some energy before it was time for the long drive home.

A few funny things that happened in May were that Alyssa discovered that my little ponies can stick to the corners of the room, because of there magnets.



We discovered Sara loved wearing Bryant's pants, and made us all laugh by putting them on and off.



Emma and I bought a giant chocolate egg for 90% off at Hobby Lobby and all of us enjoyed it together. It was so funny because it was almost as big as their heads.

Lastly, our sweet Kaelyn discovered how to play with her feet. Which I love!!!

The best thing that happened in May was that Doug and I celebrated our 10th Wedding Anniversary. My mom and dad took the kids for Friday night all except the baby of course and we partied! We had a lot of fun going to dinner, playing games, shopping and scrabooking. Yes my sweet husband wanted to do something tha meant a lot to me so he sacrificed and made a scrapbook page. It was a great weekend of time spent together, and remembering the past 10 years. Here's a look back with a photo from our wedding.

This past month

June was a really crazy month with all of the kids out off school. We started of the month with a bang by having Sara's second birthday party. She was surprised and loved all of her presents, I think she also felt overwhelmed by all the attention. She loved sharing her birthday with her Aunt Paula.
















We have been having a lot of fun playing together, making things, and swimming so far this summer. Emma and mommy made a crystal jungle, Alyssa, Kaelyn and Mommy had tea parties, and Doug harvested our first cantaloupes.

Welcome to Udall World!

I finally decided to start a blog, I felt like it was a good way to journal about our world in the Udall Home. Hope you enjoy it!